The Unexpected CEO

She started behind bulletproof glass at a gas station. She ended up leading a billion-dollar company. Shirin Behzadi was arrested multiple times under an oppressive regime in Iran before she had even reached adulthood. Fleeing her homeland alone as a teenager, she carried nothing with her but a suitcase—and a bold dream. In Istanbul, and later at a Los Angeles gas station, she quietly declared to anyone who would listen: One day, I will lead a large company. While navigating poverty, the loss of home and belonging, motherhood, and a near-terminal illness that left her unable to stand—let alone lead—Shirin raised millions in private equity and built a billion-dollar company. At every setback, she unearthed something essential: The resilience she had honed in dark times could also light the way forward in business, in leadership, and in life. The Unexpected CEO tells a compelling and powerful story of lessons carved from challenges and a life constructed despite dire circumstances. In